Parking was scarce on Richland Avenue Saturday as popular Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear joined forces with congressional hopeful Chaz Molder, mayor of Columbia, for a high-powered Nashville fundraiser. The Molder campaign bagged another $120,000, continuing a strong fundraising operation that has raised more than $2.5 million since September 2025. Beshear, a Vanderbilt graduate, barely concealed his own White House aspirations at the event with several carefully phrased comments.

The two playfully referenced the football rivalry between Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee — Molder’s alma mater — and stressed their shared position as Southern Democrats in states that overwhelmingly voted for President Trump in 2024.

Chaz Molder speaks at a fundraising event in Nashville, Oct. 3, 2026

Chaz Molder speaks at a fundraising event in Nashville, Oct. 3, 2026

Gov. Andy Beshear (center) speaks at a fundraising event in Nashville, Oct. 3, 2026

Gov. Andy Beshear (center) speaks at a fundraising event in Nashville, Oct. 3, 2026

Chaz Molder (left) and Gov. Andy Beshear at a fundraising event in Nashville, Oct. 3, 2026

Chaz Molder (left) and Gov. Andy Beshear at a fundraising event in Nashville, Oct. 3, 2026